My Present Work

I am in "lockdown".  What is lockdown?  Lockdown is the first three
months of service at a Peace Corps Volunteer's permanent site. The aim
of this time is to allow the volunteer to immerse themselves in the
culture. My lockdown essentially has followed two courses: school and
community.

At school, I follow a script given to me by Peace Corps. The first few
weeks was a mix of gathering information about the school and it's
history, meeting with the SGB (think PTA with more responsibility),
interviewing teachers, and observing classes.  This past week and the
next three will be my shadowing period.

I first looked at this assignment as a waste of time when there were
students I could be teaching. Yet, I followed the guidance of Peace
Corps knowing they have done this before.  Following these assignments
has proven to be a wise decision. It has allowed students and teachers
to get use to me being around without me being hands on.  The
non-hands on approach has allowed me to see what the school is like
without me.  I have picked up strengths and weaknesses of the school
that I do not think I would have had I jumped right into the
classroom.

In the community, I have had much of the same approach.  I always seek
out people who are mingling and just sit with them.  I use this time
to listen to the language, ask little questions, and build a level of
comfort.  Like any Peace Corps Volunteer, I have my ambitions of
things I want to achieve.  All of which, I still plan on achieving in
some form.  Yet none of these ambitions will come to fruition without
buy in from the community.

I am learning firsthand the great lesson that change must come from
within.  In December, Peace Corps will provide further training on how
to put projects into action.  Zwino, ndi khou guda.  Now, I am
learning.

Ndo livuwha.  Thank you.